Notorious Sheffield pub branded 'den of iniquity' could be set for new dawn

The Cannon pub in Castlegate was shut down more than a decade ago after being branded a haven for thieves and drug dealers, to which police had been called 142 times in the space of 12 years.

The building, a couple of doors down from the Co-op supermarket on Castle Street, has long been boarded up but a new chapter might soon be written in its history.

It is listed by Colloco, which is marketing the premises for £275,000, as being 'under offer'.

The potential buyer is not known at this stage and Colloco has not responded to The Star's enquiries.

Whatever the building's future holds, it is unlikely to re-open as a pub given the sales brochure states there is a 'restrictive covenant' banning the sale of alcohol at the premises.

The marketing blurb suggests the four-storey building, dating from the turn of the last century, could be converted to housing or used as commercial premises.

It claims the property is well situated to take advantage of Castlegate's burgeoning revival, with the area undergoing 'significant change'.

New digs are due to begin shortly to discover further remains of the medieval Sheffield Castle; Castle House, the former Co-op department store, is being turned into a £3 million hub for digital businesses; there are plans to uncover the River Sheaf and create a park where the demolished market hall stood; and a greener, more pleasant route to the overlooked waterfront at Victoria Quays is also in the pipeline.

The Cannon pub has been closed since 2007, when it was shut down following criticism by police and child protection authorities.

Police told at the time how it was frequented by customers known to carry guns; a pregnant 15-year-old was said to be working behind the bar and being sold drugs; and members of the public reportedly crossed the street to avoid 'intimidating' crowds spilling onto the pavement.